Preview

The Headstrong Historian: Heimat

Better Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1545 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
The Headstrong Historian: Heimat
Heimat struggle in The Head Strong Historian

One is not born free to completely choose one’s path. Through different bonds that come from one’s family and community, a connection with certain characteristics are stuck to each person. This phenomenon is commonly known as heimat. Even though this Germanic word can be associated with homeland, it does not have a direct translation to the English language. Vilém Flusser, a Czech Jewish author, describes how in order to be free one must detach oneself from these heimats in his article “The Freedom of the Migrant”. Here, he explains how each person is tied to his or her own heimat and furthermore talks about how these bonds are in one’s unconscious, “We are attached to heimat by many bonds, most of which are hidden and not accessible to consciousness” (Flusser, 3). Vilém Flusser truly believes that one’s freedom is created by one’s detachment from these bonds; this idea is represented through a variety of examples in Adichie’s short story “The Headstrong Historian”. Most human beings don’t have the opportunity to grow up with the chance to experience different cultures; for that matter different heimats. Most of today’s population does not have the means to travel and perceive other communities and ways of life. For that reason, it is very common for the average human being to grow accustomed to their traditions and feel that their native heimat is their ultimate heimat, in other words, the “right” heimat. Seeing as they do not know anything else, they cannot compare the quality of different things, “Those who are settled in a place confuse heimat with home. Because of this they sense that their heimat is nice and pleasant, in the same way that we think of our home as nice and pleasant. And then they confuse prettiness with beauty” (Flusser, 13). This creates a sort of barrier of incomprehension towards another person’s way of life. An uncomfortable feeling grows inside of people when they are in a setting that is



Cited: Adichie, Chimamanda Ngozi. “The Headstrong Historian” The Thing Around Your Neck. New York and Toronto: Alfred A. Knopf. 2009. 198-218. Flusser, Vilém, Kenneth Kronenberg, and Anke K. Finger. The Freedom of the Migrant: Objections to Nationalism. Urbana: University of Illinois, 2003. Print. I pledge my honor that I have neither received nor provided unauthorized assistance during the completion of this work _________________

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Powerful Essays

    Honor Code: On my honor, as a student, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this academic work.…

    • 2961 Words
    • 12 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    “On my honor, I pledge that I have given nor received any unacknowledged aid on this assignment” ! ! ! ! ! ! ! __________________________________ Signature…

    • 412 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Closed Memo

    • 3030 Words
    • 13 Pages

    On my honor, I submit this work in good faith and pledge that I have neither given nor received improper aid in its completion.…

    • 3030 Words
    • 13 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Some may say, in order to associate with certain people or a particular place, we must identify ourselves. But Peter Skrzynecki’s ‘Immigrant chronicles’ namely the ‘Migrant Hostel’ suggest that to belong we must conform to social expectations and in turn suppress our individuality. The uncertain nature and impermanence of the Hostel creates a metaphoric barrier to inclusion along with the juxtaposition of “Comings and goings” which implies a sense of chaos and instability. This constant changing of the hostel “arrivals of newcomers” averts Skrzynecki from discovering a place of affinity. The poet ultimately accentuates the great burden migrants must undergo in a contradicting society, further reinforcing the distinct sense of inclusion an individual may gain from cultural and societal influences. Furthermore the migrants isolation from the outside world is displayed as a physical symbol of alienation “A barrier at the main gate, sealed from the highway…as it rose and fell like a finger”. This strengthens the migrant’s entrapment and marginalization through bureaucratic oppression.…

    • 585 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    It is human nature to feel the incessant need to belong, whether it be to a particular group of people, culture or a country, This need can hinder or enhance an individual’s sense of belonging or not belonging. This essay will discuss this concept through the analysis of the following texts: Migrant Hostel, Feliks Skrzynecki written by Peter Skrzynecki in the Immigrant chronicle and the TWO other related texts “Skins” directed by Anthony Fabian and the documentary “Bully” directed by Lee Hirsch. All four texts explore modes of belonging, not belonging and the statement above.…

    • 1078 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In “Ancestors” the narrator experiences a disconnection and lack of belonging to his polish heritage. This is shown through the description of his ancestors. Adjectives such as shadowed and faceless show the detachment between the narrator and his ancestors as well as a lack of intimacy. The fact that there are only males present suggests that they have had a greater influence over the narrator’s cultural and social identity than females.…

    • 326 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Belonging is an instinctive factor in human nature which is embedded in everyone. The sense of belonging or not belonging can have a significant impact on a person’s life, their personality and their position in society. A person may find a strong sense of belonging through representations of symbolic places, relationships or events. Through these different aspects which create a sense of belonging, a strong individual identity can also be formed. Peter Skrzynecki explores these concepts in his poem “Feliks Skrzynecki” and presents the idea that there does not always have to be a conflict between an individual’s desire to belong and their duty to themselves. In this poem, Skrzynecki demonstrates how Feliks’ bond with his home country of Poland and his desire to continue to belong there, play a defining role in shaping his own individual identity in his new country, Australia. He retained his individual identity throughout the many experiences in his life and it is this strong sense of personal awareness that fuelled the desire to further strengthen his sense of belonging with Poland, as opposed to Australia. Through this motion, Skrzynecki demonstrates how Feliks does not feel obliged to change his identity in order to feel a part of or fit into his new society. He does not have a distinct desire to belong to his new life, rather he chooses to surround himself with what reminds him of Poland – his home country in this new environment, hence eliminating the conflict of the individual’s duty to themselves and their desire to belong. Along with this, Skrzynecki is also able to portray how his father’s behaviour has affected him by making it difficult for Skrzynecki to develop his own sense of belonging in Australia. This representation of a significant place is shown through Feliks’ garden…

    • 1220 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    John W. foster said that ‘a man without decision can never be said to belong to himself.’ This perception of belonging clearly demonstrates that it is necessary to make difficult decisions to belong. This idea is partially confirmed in the texts I have studied: Immigrant Chronicle by Peter Skrynecki, and the novel Fiddler on the Roof by Norman Jewison. These three texts demonstrate that an individual can make difficult choices to not belong as well as belong depending on what they want.…

    • 1043 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Belongin

    • 1422 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Belonging is essential to developing an understanding of one’s identity. Throughout childhood to adolescence, people observe their parents and peers’ moral and ideologies, using it to construct their identity and their sense of belonging. This is discovered in the thoughtful novel “Kite-Runner” by Khaled Hosseini, where the importance of connection is demonstrated through Amir’s understanding of his identity. The poem “Feliks Skrzynecki” by Peter Skrzynecki also conveys a similar idea, where the point that alienation with culture will influence one’s understanding of their identity was illustrated. One’s identity is build up by where and whom he belongs to. This is conveyed through the extraordinary journey revealed in “Rabbit-Proof Fence” by Philip Noyce where he demonstrated his idea that one’s understanding of their identity can arise from where they belong and who they belongs to. Also the emotional poem “Postcard” by Peter Skrzynecki also suggests a similar idea that one’s identity could be shaped by whom and where he belongs.…

    • 1422 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Sociology

    • 795 Words
    • 4 Pages

    5: The tendency to assume that one’s own culture and way of life represent the norm or are superior to all others is called…

    • 795 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Belonging

    • 256 Words
    • 2 Pages

    As humans we desire the constant necessity to belong. Our perceptions of belonging are shaped through internal and external forces; our personal, cultural and historical experiences, the connections made with people, places, groups and the larger world alter our aspect of belonging and notions of identity, relationships, acceptance, understanding of the humanity. Immigrant Chronicle by Peter Skrzynecki, in particular his poems – Feliks Skrzynecki and ….…

    • 256 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Cited: Mora, Pat. "Immigrants." Literature and Ourselves. Ed. New York: Pearson Education , 2009. Print.…

    • 876 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Xenophobia in America

    • 844 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Culture has an enormous effect on the way people view other people. People tend to have a mentality of seeking refuge among those that makes them feel secure. The United States for example, is perhaps the country that posses the largest cultural diversity in the world. Nevertheless, we don’t see all this cultures intermixing. Cities with large cultural diversities are divided among cultures. Where China town ends the Greek town begins and Where the Mexican town starts the African American ends and so on. Cultures don’t intermix, providing a save net for individual to feel secure from the threat that outsider might represent. This is the reason that leads me to believe that people have a tendency to feel insecure or threaten in the presence of outsiders or other cultures. Concurring with Massino’s idea that culture is a strong aspect in determining the cause of xenophobia.…

    • 844 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    It is human nature to long to belong, to fit neatly and comfortably into a familiar niche. It allows for a foundation, on which to build upon. It often nurtures us, but sometimes, as our ever static identities develop, we surpass it. We out grow it. It is when we are sheltered and content, that the prospect of leaving or letting go is most difficult, as we must uproot ourselves. In order to keep our roots, which are so deeply buried in our foundation, we simulate our previous, traditional landscapes, in order to keep them alive. Through language, tradition and others, we can partially re-create traditional landscapes. As immigrants of the same nationally huddle together in a suburb-an island of familiarity in a sea of strangeness- in the hope…

    • 266 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Cultural Identity

    • 488 Words
    • 2 Pages

    When we qualify the inhabitants of a town of dirty, stupid, selfish, cold ... we use stereotypes. We do not know the customs and values of others and fall in on subtle racism, that is, we believe that our culture is the only one that exists and we take as a reference to judge other societies without having some kind of respect for their cultural identity. The cultural identity of a people is defined historically through multiple aspects that portray their culture, such communication tool between members of a community, social relationships, or collective behavior, that is, the value systems and beliefs (Bauman; 1998: 129-152).…

    • 488 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays

Related Topics